Feeling Good

Today I have been on the WFPB diet for 7 weeks and I am feeling good.  However, you must remember that I am 77 years old and have weighed over 400 pounds for the past 32 years.  Everything considered, I feel blessed to still be alive.  My father died at age 77 and my mother at age 72.  So I am entering new ground.  First, I do feel better than I did before I started the diet.  I have more energy during the day and I don't get as tired as I used to.  Second, I am sleeping better.  I go to sleep quickly when I retire and I don't have to get up as often during the night to go the the bathroom.  When I wake up in the morning I feel refreshed and ready to start the day.  Third, my stress level is way down.  In the past I have always worried about my weight and health.  But now with this diet my mind is at ease. I believe in the diet because some results are starting to show.  I am losing weight and am feeling better.  I realize it is a long hard journey ahead of me but I am determine to stay on the path and persevere.  One disappointment is my chronic congestive cough.  I was hoping eliminating dairy from my diet would resolve this problem but so far there has been no change. Onward and upward and we will see.

My family is supportive of what I am doing but no one wants to try it with me, at least for now.  Hopefully as I succeed they will reconsider.  I asked my wife to go on it with me but she said no.  She was on Atkins for two years and lost 100 pounds.  She doesn't want to go through another diet, but I told her it was a complete change in eating life style.  We will see.  My two daughters have been the most supportive, but also don't want to try it.  Yet.  A week ago we had lunch at my daughters between Sunday sessions of conference. She fixed me a baked potato and I took a can of beans to eat with it.  A few days ago my other daughter brought me a bottle of salad dressing that has no fat and no calories.  It is made by Walden Farms (waldenfarms.com) and is available at Harvest Moon Health Foods.

The second Sunday of each month all of our family (5 children and spouses, 15 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren) meet at one of our homes for dessert night and a get together.  We met again last night (except for two grandchildren who are on missions).  We are very blessed because all of our family lives within twenty minutes of us.  I took an apple for my dessert.  I handed out a paper to each family explaining the diet I am on and links to this blog and Jane Birch's book "Discovering the Word of Wisdom".  They expressed some interest, especially the women, and said they would learn more about the diet.  We will see.

Every Tuesday and Thursday I go to Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy and do an hour and a half of water aerobics.  I have been doing this for 12 years.  We get to know all the regulars and love to discuss our health problems, and some have real zingers.  I told them I was losing weight on a new diet and they asked me what the diet was.  So I explained it.  But all of them said they were not interested on going on a vegan diet with no refined vegetable oils because they couldn't give up their dairy and/ or meat.  But as I continue to lose weight and improve my health we will see if they change their mind.

One week until my second weigh in.

Forever strong in life

Larry Strong